Genting Bus Crash Accident 巴士坠云顶高原山谷

Genting Bus Crash Accident near the Chin Swee Cave temple yesterday around 2.45pm which caused traffic standstill. The stage bus, which was ferrying 53 passengers on a 44-seater bus. The bus was overloaded and a check with JPJ showed the bus was blacklisted. This accident was the country’s worst road tragedy caused 37 dead, 16 injured.

Rescuers bringing out an injured passenger from the Genting bus crash. – The Malaysian Insider pic by Najjua Zulkefli, August 21, 2013.

Thirty-seven people have been confirmed dead in Malaysia’s worst road accident when a bus plunged into a 200-foot deep ravine as it made its way down from the Genting Highlands resort in Pahang this afternoon.

Rescuers gave the death toll as police dog units scoured the undergrowth in the ravine for any more survivors of the accident that happened just before 3pm, some four km from the popular hill resort. The driver, in his 40s, also died in the accident, police said.

The 16 passengers who were rescued, 10 men and six women, were sent to hospitals in Selayang, Kuala Lumpur, Sungai Buloh and Bentong. Some of them suffered severe injuries, said authorities.

There were a total of 53 people in the bus which came from the resort, 55km away from Kuala Lumpur. Initial reports had put the total number aboard the bus at 49.

The ravine, which is inaccessible by road, has forced rescue workers to use a crane to lift the victims.

It was reported that the bus driver lost control of the vehicle and crashed through the road barrier before plunging into the ravine.

Authorities reported that passengers who were seated towards the front of the bus were flung out of the vehicle when it hit the trees.

Police are investigating to ascertain whether the bus was overloaded.

So far, authorities revealed that three of the 37 who died were foreigners from Bangladesh, China and Thailand.

Personnel from the Fire and Rescue Department, St Johns Ambulance, Civil Defence Department and the police were mobilised once the distress call was received at 2.46pm.

The Genting Highlands road has seen several fatal bus accidents but this is said to be the worst along that stretch and in the country.

Before today’s crash, the worst accident in Malaysia over the past 10 years occurred near Cameron Highlands on December 20, 2010, when 28 people were killed after a double-decker bus overturned.

The accident occurred near the 15km milestone on the Cameron Highlands-Simpang Pulai road.

It claimed 22 lives on the spot, while the other six died after being taken to hospital. All the passengers were Thai nationals on their way back to Kuala Lumpur from the hill resort, in the company of three Malaysians – the bus driver, his assistant and a tour guide. – August 21, 2013.

5 Major Bus Acciddents In Malaysia

Rescuers at the accident site. The Malaysian Insider pic by Najjua Zulkefli, August 21, 2013.

Thirty-seven people were killed in the country’s worst road tragedy, after a bus carrying 53 plunged into a 60m ravine near Genting Highlands around 2.45pm Wednesday.

The dead included 24 males and 13 females. Sixteen people were injured in the incident.

The 2.45pm accident happened when the ill-fated bus was descending a steep slope.

Fire and Rescue Department principal assistant director (Operations) Datuk Soiman Jahid said some 450 personnel from his department, the police and Civil Defence Department were involved in the search and rescue operation, which was finally called off at 10pm.

He said the cause of the accident had yet to be determined and that they had yet to interview witnesses.

“But the descent was very steep and if the bus was not controlled well, it could have skidded and plunged into the ravine. This is the initial assessment of the rescue team,” he said.

He said the dead included the driver of the bus.

It is believed that the driver lost control of the bus, which then rammed a divider before plunging down the gorge.

Rescuers inspecting the bodies of victims laying on the ground in Genting Highlands Wednesday.

Some of the passengers were flung from the bus during the incident.

According to the police, more than half the passengers on the bus were foreigners, from China, Bangladesh and Thailand

The bus was also overloaded as its capacity was 44 passengers, authorities said.

There were 18 ambulances sent to crash site, and the first arrived at the scene at 5pm. All 37 casualties died at the scene.

The 16 survivors comprised seven Malaysians, three Indonesians, four Bangladeshis, one Thai national, and one Korean.

Six are in critical condition, and one has been declared safe.

Rescue and emergency services personnel at the bus crash site in Genting Highlands Wednesday.

The accident occurred at KM36 of the Genting-Kuala Lumpur road, some two kilometres from the Chin Swee Caves Temple, as the bus carrying 53 people was coming down from Genting Highlands and heading towards Kuala Lumpur.

Pahang Sultan Ahmad Shah and Bentong MP Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai were among those who arrived at the scene earlier in the evening and were briefed by authorities.

Rescuers helping a victim at the site of a bus accident in Genting Highlands Wednesday.

Earlier, rescuers worked frantically to reach people trapped in the bus. Some 30 policemen and nine ambulances were at the scene.

Traffic in the area was at a standstill as police ensured rescue vehicles could reach the scene of the accident.

Bentong OCPD Supt Mansor Mohd Noor confirmed the incident to The Star but could not give further details.

“I can confirm that there were passengers on the bus but how many there were I don’t know yet.

“Authorities are en route to the site now,” he said.

These are some of the accidents in the area over the years (Bernama report):

March 5, 2012: Two tourists from India died and 20 other passengers were injured when a tour bus overturned at KM4.5 of the Kuala Lumpur-Karak Highway while on the way back from Genting Highlands to Kuala Lumpur.

Oct 29, 2010: Seven people were killed and another 20 injured when a tourist bus skidded and overturned at Genting Sempah while descending from Genting Highlands.

Sept 2, 2010: Eighteen people were injured when a bus ferrying a group on a sightseeing tour skidded and overturned at KM35.1 of the Kuala Lumpur-Karak Highway while returning from Genting Highlands.

June 3, 2008: Two passengers of a tour bus died while 41 others were injured, including 17 seriously, when the vehicle skidded and plunged into a nine-metre ravine at KM22.5 of the Kuala Lumpur-Karak Highway.

Nov 20, 2006: Three officers of Provincial Electricity Authority of Thailand (PEA) were killed when a double-decker bus they were travelling in, overturned on their return from Genting Highlands at KM13 of Jalan Genting Highlands-Batang Kali.

Nov 14, 1999: A 12-year-old boy from Singapore died when a bus on its way to the republic from Genting Highlands fell into a ravine.

Dec 31, 1996: Thirty people were injured when a bus crashed into a ravine at KM4 Genting Highlands near the Chin Swee temple while on its way to Kuala Lumpur.

July 15, 1996: Seventeen people, including six children, died when the bus they were travelling in fell 100m into a ravine when returning from a family day celebration at Genting Highlands.

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